Orchestra of St Cecilia/Colin Block

{TABLE} Symphony No 1 K16 ................... Mozart Concerto in D min BWV1052 ........... Bach Rondo in A K386 ..................... Mozart Symphony No 59 (Fire) ............... Haydn {/TABLE} THE concert given by the Orchestra of St Cecilia at St Ann's Church, Dawson Street on, Sunday night was an occasion on which good intentions were not consistently fulfilled. Colin Block conducted a programme of Bach, Mozart and Haydn, in a way which aimed clearly for distinctive characterisation in each piece and each movement. In Mozart's youthful Symphony No 1 K16, there was plenty of brio in the fast outer movements; but the rhythmic energy of the orchestral playing had a niggling bar by bar quality. This symphony needed a drive which gave as much tension to rests as to the short phrases themselves.

The other Mozart piece, the Rondo in A for Piano and Orchestra K386, was much more successful, partly because of Louise Thomas's shapely playing of the solo part. After a rather shapeless orchestral introduction, Thomas's purposefulness seemed to be picked up by everyone. It was a satisfying performance.

Hearing Bach's Concerto in D minor BWV1052 played on the piano, instead of the harpsichord, was a glimpse of common practice from, 30 or more years ago. That it was welcome was again due largely to Thomas, who made the most of the piano's strengths while being aware of the structural and textural properties of Baroque music. This was epitomised by the drawn out tempo of the slow movement, which made the most of the piano's sustaining qualities. It was a pity the orchestra seemed uncertain of how to match this, other than by lapsing into a vibrato rich, Romantic tone.

The first movement of Haydn's Symphony No 59 ("The Fire") had some of the weaknesses of the Mozart symphony. However, the finale, which specialises in discourse between wind and strings, produced some of the most finely balanced playing I have heard from this orchestra, and an impression that intention and result were well matched.